A Forsaken Adventure
by fairybells
Summary: or is it? Princess Rowta is kidnapped by Bandits. But these bandits are not what they seem to be. And it doesnt hurt that their leader is dangerously dashing! Please Read and Review!
1. Chapter 1

Rowta galloped into the field, her horse's hooves pounding into the soft grass. She pulled the tired mare to a quick stop and leapt out of the saddle. She pulled the gilded saddle off the mare and set it in the grass to let the palomino rest and graze.

Rowta pulled her hair out of its bun and fell on her back into a nearby patch of field flowers. She closed her eyes and felt the sun warm her face.

These moments were what she lived for. These quiet escapades away from the castle and her royal duties as a princess left her carefree and happy, even if the feeling only lasted for an hour or two until someone found her.

She pulled at a clump of wild flowers and began twisting them into a chain and placing them on her head.

She laughed out loud " This crown of blossoms is much more suitable than one made of gold. It doesn't weigh a thing!" she told her munching companion.

She rested her head on the grass and closed her eyes again. A shadow blocked out the sun.

" Tani, you are in my sun," she called to her horse.

An arm jerked her from her rested state and up onto her feet. She whipped around a gasped at the face of the person who disturbed her peace.

That's it for the first chapter! Rowta is pronounced Row-Ta and Tani is pronounced Tawn-Ny.

Read and review!

Fairybells27


	2. Chapter 2

Rowta was surrounded. And by twenty or so scruffy men. The one who held onto her looked particularly dirty.

"Unhand me this instant! You have no right to keep a hold of me!" she exclaimed as she tried to jerk her arm out of his hold. He only gripped her tighter.

"Oh quite the opposite, lady. You is in our here territory, and we is to capture all trespassers, by order of Captain."

"Well then, where is this so called Captain of yours? I must set him straight, this isn't his land at all!"

"Then who be it, mind you?" declared her scruffy captor. The rest of the band chortled at the obvious joke.

"It belongs to my father, King Deagan." She tried pulling away again to no avail.

"Royalty! Then Captain will especially like to see ya! Tie 'er up, boys!"

Rowta quickly brought her head down and bit into the grimy sleeve of her captor. Hard. The man holding her let her go in surprise with a shout. Another man came up behind her and grabbed a chunk of her mahogany hair and pulled her backward onto the ground. He gave one last hard jerk on her head before giving her some slack.

She cradled her head and glared at the head jerker. " Now Princess, I want none of ya cheek. Behave like a lady and maybe we wont hurt ya." The tormentor of hair leered down at her.

Rope was brought from a saddlebag and tied around her wrists. They captured and saddled Tani and tied Rowta to the saddle horn. They set off into the woods; the only clue to Rowta ever being in the field was an impression in the grass. ' I should have never left home today.' she thought.

They traveled through the woods for hours. And Rowta was getting tired. She had stayed up late last night reading a new book she received from her governess, a kind, young women who shared her interests. The book was still in her saddlebag; she had yet to finish the last couple of chapters. That was what she had planned to do today, before she was captured.

Her canteen was also in her bag, filled with fresh water. Rowta longed for a refreshing drink. She glanced at her traveling companions. All of them looked pretty much the same: like they hadn't had a bath in weeks. One of the men had dark skin. His head was bald and he had tattoos on his face. He carried a long sword at his side. He had remained silent the whole trip.

The man who had jerked her hair was clad only in a pair of leathery pants. Scars riddled his coppery chest. He carried five knives, one strapped to each leg, one strapped to each arm, and one down his boot. His hair was thinning and his teeth were yellow. He was silent the whole trip also, but in a different kind of way than the dark man. No one talked to him and Rowta got the feeling that no one wanted to talk to him.

They finally stopped for a drink. The big dark man cut the rope that tied her to the saddle and led her over to a stream. She knelt down cupped her bound hands and drank her fill. He stayed standing beside her.

"Thank you," she said to the man, as she stood. He loomed over her, even when she was standing up. He just nodded in return.

"My name is Rowtaween, but you can call me Rowta," She said to him.

"I am called Jooni," he replied.

"Where are we going?" she tried to get some answers out of him since he seemed to be some what friendly.

"We will be arriving soon, " he motioned for her to join the rest of the men.

The man with the knives stood by her horse. Once Rowta was settled in the saddle, he retied her to the saddle horn. He gave the rope an extra tight yank, making her hiss at the rope burn, before he left.

The band rode for another hours before stopping in a clearing.


	3. Chapter 3

A man jumped down from the trees, right in the middle of the clearing. Five others, similarly dressed, jumped down after him. The man had dark brown hair and was dressed in a green tunic and brown leggings. A sword was strapped to his belt in a sheath decorated with intricate embroidery. A bow and a quiver full of arrows were strapped onto his back.

"Kinta," he addressed the man who she had bitten on the arm in the field, " You have been gone an awful long time."

" Apologies, Captain, but we ran into some trouble," The man named Kinta answered as he motioned with his dirty thumb back at Rowta. Captain glanced back at her, a stoic look on his face.

"Very well. Jooni, you will look after her, make sure she doesn't get into trouble,"

" Ban, you take a few men with you and catch some game for dinner," Captain addressed a different man

"Tenar, go with him." This time he addressed the man who had pulled her hair and was covered with knives. Tenor drew his knives and set off after the hunting party. The man named Captain turned around and disappeared into the trees.

Jooni looked over at her and motioned for them to continue on into the forest. They arrived at a small field, much like the one they had left hours ago, only this one was littered with tents along one edge, next to the trees. He led Rowta into a tent in the middle of camp. He set her on the floor on top of a pile of rugs and pillows and cut the ropes on her wrist. She rubbed at the red sores left by the burning rope.

"I wouldn't try to leave, you would never make it past camp. You are safer in here."

"What about Tani?" asked Rowta.

"Who?"

"My horse. She needs looking after."

"I will have someone attend to her. I will be right out side the tent if you need anything." He replied with his soft yet commanding voice. He pulled back the flap and left. Rowta could see his silhouette outside against the tent fabric.  
Jooni pulled back the flap and entered Captain's tent. Captain was situated at a small table, leaning over a large piece of crumpled parchment. He lifted his head to meet his second in command.

"What are your plans for her?" the tall, tattooed man asked.

"She shall travel with us to Canton, she will be a great asset to our plan. When we succeed, we will return her to her father, safe and sound. I entrust you with her safety, Jooni. Make sure nothing happens to her." Captain looked up from his papers at his last statement, " Tell the men not to bother with her, or they will answer to me."

"Are you going to tell her of her involvement in our plan?"

"Maybe in a few days, when everything has settled."

Jonni nodded and left, silent as usual.

Jooni entered Rowta's tent with a tray in his arms, laden with a small corked pot and a shallow bowl of stew. He set down the tray and motioned to the pot. " For your rope burns. I am to again advise you not to run away. As I said before, you will be safer here. There is much worse out there than us." He left as quickly as he had come.

She ate heartily before curling up on the rugs, preparing to sleep. She wasn't planning on trying to escape, not yet, anyway. Wasn't the reason she rode away from the palace everyday was the promise of adventure? Why turn back now when this was exactly what she wanted?

The next morning, everyone was up bright and early, packing up camp. Well, everyone except Rowta. She was sleeping soundly, on her bundle of rugs. Jooni pulled back the flap and the morning sun blared past her closed eyelids. She moaned and covered her eyes with her arm.

He set down a bowl of porridge, drizzled with honey, "Eat quickly, we will leave soon."

He returned just as she swallowed the last sticky bite, he led her to were Tani was tethered. Rowta scratched the tall palomino mare behind the ear, her favorite spot. She let the horse lick her sticky hand for any last trace of the sweet amber liquid. Rowta ran a brush over her quickly, before pulling the saddle over her back.

Tani had been a gift from her father two years ago, when he finally realized nothing could keep her from her daily escapades. Tani was a trained war horse, Rowta's father thought she might at least provide some protection as it seemed no human was ever able to keep up with his daughter. Rowta and Tani had connected instantly. Tani was easily the tallest horse in camp, the rogues obviously preferred the small, nimbler ponies to navigate the forests.

Jooni brought over a pack to attach to the back of her saddle. Everyone mounted up, Rowta rode next to Jooni, somewhere in the middle of the caravan. Captain rode up front, leading the way down an invisible path.

The rogues traveled quietly through the trees, only snatches of conversation could be heard. Rowta started to hum an old song she had heard in the village. The tune had always stuck in her head, and she sometimes found herself singing it when it was too quiet.

Another pint, Bartender!  
Another pint around!  
Another pint, Bartender!  
Before we hit the ground!"

She sang the first verse softly. Jooni cracked a small smile, humming along with the next verse.  
Soon, most of the caravan had joined in the song. Bass and Baritone voices floated around the one tenor, making for a lovely sound. The wind seemed to sing with them, whistling through the trees. The next song was about a lost love named Lucy, with long blonde hair and big blue eyes. The one after that was about a faithful dog that followed its silly master. Soon it was time to make camp.

Jooni helped set up her tent. Rowta pulled the rugs from the bundle off Tani's back and prepared her bed.

"Where can I bathe?" She asked Jooni. He tapped his chin for a minute. " Down aways from camp, a stream runs nearby, you can wash there. She gathered my things, not that there was much to gather. Jonni gave her some soap and a comb and Rowta set off towards the stream. 


	4. Chapter 4

It was going to be dark soon. She heard the stream before she saw it. Taking one last look around, she stripped down and wadded into the rushing water. She washed her dress, and laid it out to dry. She would have to keep it as clean as possible, it was the only one she had. She lathered up with soap and washed her hair, it felt good to be clean. It was dark by the time she was ready to get out.

She had just pulled on her thin summer petticoat and undershirt when she heard a twig snap in the underbrush. She froze, her dress only half on. She waited silently for a few minutes, but didn't hear anything. She was about to pull her dress all the way on when a figure jumped out of the bushes at her. She dodged to the side and tried to reach her boot, where her knife was hidden.

She didn't have enough time to reach for it before the figure charged at her again. She recognized the man in the moonlight that spilled through the trees and reflected off the stream. It was Tenar, the man who had pulled her hair when she was first captured and who carried the knives allover his person. He sported two of these knives in his hands. He swiped at her with his left hand.

She couldn't keep dodging him forever, she reached for the knife strapped on his right leg. He pivoted away too quickly for her to grab it. She stumbled and one of the knives grazed the top of her shoulder. She danced away, clutching the bleeding wound. She reached for another knife and grazed it with her fingertips before getting a good hold. She slashed his arm and torso before he knew what was happening. She turned and ran into the forest, clad only in her petticoat. She heard him crashing through the trees close behind her.

All of the sudden, Captain appeared from behind a tree with his bow drawn and an arrow notched, pointed behind her. He stood motionless for only a second before letting the arrow fly straight into its target, Tenar's chest. Rowta stood motionless as she watched Captain walk over to the corpse. How could he kill one of his own men?

Captain kicked leaves and loam over the body.

"Why did you kill him? Why would you do that? He is one of your own men!" she screeched.

"If I had not killed him, he surely would have killed you, and as for why, you are now part of our rebel group. My little band of merry men and I are on a mission to overthrow the King of Canton and replace him with the rightful heir. Without knowing it, you have become a very important part of our plan. That was why he was after you."

She stared at him dumbfounded and in nothing but her petticoats with one hand covering a bloody wound and she was speechless. When she finally found her voice she gave him a piece of her mind.

" When were you planning on telling me of my involvement? I thought you were just some petty bandit holding me for ransom! When did I agree to go along with your little plan? For crying out loud! I was almost dog meat! And here I am, half-naked in a forest with a strange man who just killed another lunatic!" this last part she yelled at the sky.

" We can go back and get your dress." Captain replied smoothly.

Rowta just snorted and stalked off towards the stream. She grabbed the soap and washed her wound. Her petticoat was stained red. "Great, just great," she huffed to herself. "And don't think we are finished talking yet! You have a lot of explaining to do still!" She yelled at him. She grabbed her stuff, pulled on her dress, and stalked back to camp.

She entered her tent to find what few things she possessed had been thrown about and shifted through. A huge rip decorated the back wall of the tent, large enough for a man to slip through.

"It seems Tenar couldn't find you here, so he searched elsewhere." Said Captain from behind her.

"Elsewhere indeed!"

"We can talk in my tent." He called over his shoulder as he left her standing there before she rushed after him.

-------------------------------------------------------

He pushed a pile of parchment onto the floor off of a chair in his dimly lit tent. The pile scattered in a mess, but he made no move to clean it up. He pulled out a box and retrieved some bandages for her small wound. It wasn't very deep and had stopped bleeding down by the stream.

"Start from the beginning," she stated after thanking him for wrapping her shoulder.

Captain sighed and settled deeper into his chair.


End file.
